Are there fees or permits required for Buttermilk Falls?

No, there are no fees required to visit Buttermilk Falls.

Is swimming allowed at Buttermilk Falls?

Yes, swimming is allowed at Buttermilk Falls.

Nearby gauge (Boquet River) · 101 ft³/s · Lower than usual

Buttermilk Falls

Q: Are dogs allowed at Buttermilk Falls?

No, dogs are not allowed at Buttermilk Falls.

New York • 128 ft

By Armen Suny · Last verified Oct 2026

LiDAR & 3D terrain

Also For 23 other waterfalls also named Buttermilk Falls, see below

Before you go

Buttermilk Falls is on private land. The owners have welcomed hikers who check in at the house first; do not hike without asking.

Photo Credits (5)

Dougtone CC BY-SA 2.0 · Flickr

Difficulty

Moderate

Trail Length

1.5 miles

Trail Type

Out And Back

About Buttermilk Falls

Buttermilk Falls is a 128-foot ribbon cascade on Little Trout Brook in the Town of Chesterfield, Essex County, where the brook is squeezed between ledges southeast of Keeseville. The falls are on private property reached by a moderately difficult 0.75-mile dirt trail from a driveway on Highland Road across from Port Douglas Cemetery; visitors are asked to check in at the owners' house before hiking.

The Setting

Buttermilk Falls sits at 604 feet in the foothills of New York. At 128 feet, it is among the taller waterfalls in New York.

Height: 128 feet

Trail & Hike Details

Trail Description

A dirt trail of about 0.75 mile each way leads from a long driveway on Highland Road, across from the Port Douglas Cemetery, to the falls. It is rated moderate.

What to Expect

The falls cascade 128 feet. Swimming is permitted.

Accessibility

The trail is not wheelchair accessible. Uneven terrain and elevation changes require steady footing.

Frequently Asked Questions

🐶 Are Dogs Allowed at Buttermilk Falls?

❌ Dogs are not allowed

Are There Any Fees or Permits Required?

🆖 No fees required

🏊 Is There Swimming at Buttermilk Falls?

✅ Swimming is allowed

When to Visit

spring summer fall

Spring or after rain, when the small brook has the most water.

Seasonal Access

The best time to visit is Spring, Summer, and Fall. Winter access may be limited.

Safety Information

Footing near the brook and ledges can be slippery.

Current Water Conditions

Updated 42 minutes ago Moderate

These readings come from the USGS gauge on Boquet River, 7.7 miles away, not on Buttermilk Falls's own stream. Use them as a sign of whether the area is running wet or dry.

101 ft³/s

Current discharge — how much water is flowing

Lower than usual for this time of year

Very Low Low Normal High Very High

86 114 306 565

Based on 81 years of record

2.36 ft

Water depth at gauge

7-Day Discharge Trend

What does this mean for your visit?

Flow is lower than usual for this time of year.

About This Gauge

This gauge is on a nearby waterway and may not reflect exact conditions at the falls.

BOQUET RIVER AT WILLSBORO NY

USGS 04276500

7.7 miles from waterfall

Drainage: 270 sq mi

Altitude: 150 ft

7-Day Flow Outlook

Based on the USGS gauge BOQUET RIVER AT WILLSBORO NY (12 km away).

Moderate confidence

Moderate right now

101 cfs

→ Holding steady

Today

Moderate

109 cfs

5/10

Tomorrow

Moderate

96 cfs

5/10

Sat

Moderate

100 cfs

5/10

Sun

Moderate

106 cfs

6/10

Mon

Moderate

104 cfs

8/10

Tue

Moderate

103 cfs

8/10

Wed

Moderate

95 cfs

8/10

Best window: Mon — moderate flow, partly sunny (trip score 8/10).

Best time of year: this gauge typically runs highest from mid March to early June, peaking in April.

How we calculate this

This is a transparent outlook, not a precise forecast. We take the waterfall's current flow strength (how it ranks against its historical normal for today, from the nearest USGS stream gauge), carry that ranking forward along the gauge's seasonal curve, and nudge it for forecast rain. Confidence is highest for the next day or two and falls further out. Always check official conditions and your own judgment before visiting — high flows can be dangerous.

Know when to go.

Get a free email alert when waterfalls near Keeseville hit peak flow. We only send when conditions are worth the trip — no weekly newsletters, no spam.

Is Buttermilk Falls Frozen?

Updated about 6 hours ago

Not frozen highs above freezing lately

Buttermilk Falls is not frozen right now; highs have been above freezing. Yesterday ran 48°F to 37°F.

Days below freezing: 0 of the last 14
Current cold streak: 0 days
Freezing days ahead: 0 of the next 7
Flow: 101 ft³/s

Winter safety. Frozen falls are the one waterfall trip with a documented injury pattern: falling ice, and ice-glazed rock and trail. Wear microspikes, keep well back from the base and from overhangs, and never walk out on ice over moving water.

Estimate from Open-Meteo daily temperatures at the falls, the LiDAR-measured facing direction, and the nearest stream gauge. It is a likelihood, not a report from the trail. See every frozen waterfall in New York.

Weather Forecast

The Terrain, Seen by LiDAR

Aircraft-mounted lasers measured this ground to within inches. Trees and buildings are digitally stripped away, leaving the bare shape of the land the water has carved.

The ground through the falls loses about 121 feet in steep steps rather than one leap. The listed height of 128 feet matches what the lidar sees. The ground at the falls is roughly 605 feet above sea level.

The whole reach is steep: about 136 feet of descent in the 500 feet above the falls and another 122 feet in the 500 feet below. The falls face east and catch soft morning light.

Aerial photo of the same ground around Buttermilk Falls near Keeseville, New York, for comparison with the lidar view

LiDAR bare-earth terrain around Buttermilk Falls near Keeseville, New York, showing about 121 feet of drop, a steep tiered drop, facing east

Aerial LiDAR bare earth

Drag to compare. The dot marks the waterfall. The frame is about a mile across.

Ground elevation: 605 feet; Measured by 1-meter lidar
Drop at the falls: About 121 feet; Change in ground height within ~250 feet of the falls
Faces: East; Catches soft morning light.

Ground profile through the falls

A slice through the lidar ground surface, from above the falls to downstream (heading east).

Elevation data: USGS 3D Elevation Program. Aerial imagery: USGS The National Map. Public domain.

Location & Access

Getting There

From the NY 22 bridge over the Ausable River in Keeseville, head east, take the first left onto Clinton Street, which becomes Port Douglas Road outside the village. Where the road bends left, take Highland Road to the right; the driveway to the falls is directly across from the Port Douglas Cemetery.

Get Directions on Google Maps